Emotional meaning behind Simba’s ‘mum smiled bares’ comment on Love Island changes everything

Simba has revealed the deeper meaning behind the “she smiled bares” comment that everyone was rinsing him for on Love Island, and it reveals a side to him that wasn’t shown on TV.

It was in the love letter that Simba wrote for Angelista and read out to her and all the other Islanders around the fire pit, as an apology and sign of his commitment after Casa Amor. He revealed that he watched the show with his mum before he entered the villa as a bombshell and said: “My mum asked me what you do for work, and I said you’re a nurse. She smiled bares.”

At the time, people thought it was a weird thing to say and took the piss out of him for it. But speaking to Capital this week, Simba explained that he cares for his mum who can’t speak, and smiling is her form of communication.

“I care for my mum. She’s got Motor Neurone Disease, which is obviously a neurological illness. So she can’t speak. So when I said ‘she smiled bares’, that’s her form of communication,” he said. “My mum has this eye gaze and that’s how she communicates, with her eyes.”

@capitalofficial

We could have never guessed the wholesome deeper meaning💓 @simbakudyiwa1 and @angelistagundax we are obsessed with you! #loveisland #loveislanduk #simbaandangelista #simbaspeech

♬ original sound – Capital

Simba explained that his mother wrote down on a piece of paper “What does Angelista do for work?” and when he replied “Oh she’s a nurse,” she started smiling uncontrollably. He added: “That is why I said she ‘smiled bares’. But I don’t think it was really shown in the show in terms of me looking after my mum and her condition.”

Angelista added that they had “so many conversations about how he cares for his mum,” but none of it was shown, and people are now calling out Love Island for not showing more of this side of Simba, because it adds so much to his character.

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One person wrote on Twitter: “Production were so twisted this season, really cutting out key moments and scenes to push a narrative for their ideal winners.” Someone else said: “Just made me see him in a completely different light, I have so much respect for him and what he does.”

SIMBA 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/7fNcA2AqRt

— K 🫠 (@sskeily) August 4, 2026

Others are saying they feel bad for roasting the “smiled bares” comment now, but Simba actually loves the fact that it’s become a viral meme. “He told us he likes that it’s become a meme because it reminds him of his mum when he sees it,” Capital said in the TikTok comments.

Following the interview, Simba shared an adorable photo of Angelista with his mum on Instagram and wrote: “It’s always been deeper.” This makes me love them even more.

Credit: Instagram

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Featured image credit: ITV